Kiss Me Under the Jungle Gym
by Serenity Blossom
Summary: Kino Makoto had a great, happy, and stress free life as a second grade teacher. But why, oh why, did the principal have to retire? And why did Chiba Mamoru have to be the replacement?
1. Chapter One

Makoto Kino sighed and stacked the papers neatly on her desk. It was recess, her own little time of peace and quiet before the loud noises of children would fill her classroom once again. Makoto was a second grade teacher at Sakura Elementary. Teaching was something she never really thought of, but after a year into college she realized it was something that would make her happy. She had been ecstatic when she got her job at Sakura because it was very close to her apartment and the environment was very relaxing.

All in all, Makoto loved her life. She had a small apartment about three blocks away from the school that was her pride and joy. It was decorated in a very traditional style inspired by the city of Paris that Mako had always wanted to live in. Her view was one of the best in the city, with most of the windows overlooking a gorgeous park near a small duck pond. There were always many Sakura trees in the area, hence the name of the two schools in the district: Sakura Elementary and Sakura Senior High. Makoto had every thing she ever wanted, including the new edition to her family, an orange cat named Charles.

And of course you couldn't forget about her son. His name was Takeo, which Makoto affectionately calls Tay. Takeo hated that name, saying he would not be called a girl name. Mako laughed saying that just because there was a fifth grader was named Taylor and was called Tay; it didn't mean his couldn't have the nickname also. He still protested, but after much bribery and a new game station game he was soon to never complain about the nickname again.

Takeo was a lively boy. He played soccer and baseball and ran for the cross country team and also participated in track. He has unruly thick black hair, which was very shaggy and desperately needed a hair cut. His eyes were this bright cerulean color, a very close shade to the oceans of the world.

Makoto smiled as she thought about her only child. He was nine. It has been a long and hard nine years but she wouldn't trade them for anything. Her son was her life and her joy and she was almost happy when he was failed last year and had to repeat his second grade year again, with his mother as his teacher no less.

Everything in her life was fairly simple and non-complicated. But there was her love life. Makoto was a widow. Makoto had fallen in love with the mysterious Shino Touya. Touya was the kind of boy every girl wanted. He was bright and kind and not to mention extremely handsome. He has sandy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. There first date was to the movies and she had blushed so hard when he put his arm around her. Those were the days Mako wished she could have back more then anything.

Touya and Makoto were young and just graduated from high school when they were married. They thought the only thing you needed was love. They were wrong. Soon bills and their college courses were taking their toll. They talked to each other less then they usually did and Makoto thought seriously about divorce. But, after many nights of discussion they decided to try to work things out. Not long after that Mako found out she was pregnant. The unborn baby brought new life into their marriage and things were going great.

The day that Mako was officially eight months along, she got the phone call that shattered her life. Her beloved Touya had been killed in car accident by a drunk driver on his way home from work. Touya and the driver were both killed, as was the young and beautiful Makoto. Her like was over. She was convinced she couldn't go on. After several days after the funeral she went in to early labor due to stress.

Although her baby boy was going to be fine Mako was sure that God was punishing her. He took away her husband and now He might take away her baby. Makoto prayed more in that single day then she had in her entire lifetime.

Makoto's thoughts were interrupted when the bell ran and children piled in her room. They all talked as they made there way to their desks. She cleared her throat and as began to walk toward the blackboard and was mentally preparing to teach the second half of the day.

"Mommy! Why can't I meet him too?" Takeo asked waving his hands around and trying his best to beg to be allowed to meet Sakura's newest member, the new principal.

"Tay, you can't! It's a staff only meeting, they wouldn't even let you in. Besides you have some math problems to get done and unless you want to do them at home, you may want to finish them now."

"Mommy! You know I hate math, so why can't I at least come and see then leave! Please mommy!" Takeo pleaded to Makoto, and after seeing her stern look his eyes dropped to the ground with a very sad look and his lips were pouted out

"Oh Tay, you are too kawaii. Well I suppose I can take you to meet him after the meeting, even though I'm not too sure why you want to meet him so much.

"Domo arigatou!"

"Yeah, yeah. Go do your homework and I'll be back in about a half an hour."

"Okay, see ya!" Takeo said before adding, "Wait! Mommy, what time was the meeting?"

"It is at 4:30 now go and finish your math!" She yelled back, heading out the door.

'Uh-oh, I wonder if Mommy knows it's already 5:00.' Takeo thought as he walked towards his mother's desk to do what she told him. He laughed to himself, and decided not to tell her. 'Maybe next time she'll let me come with.'

Makoto sighed as she left the classroom. Her son knew what he wanted and he defiantly knew how to get what he wanted from his mother. She was a sucker for that boy and she knew it. Mako continued down a flight of stairs and then down another to the second floor. Makoto made her stop in the teacher's lounge. She grabbed a Cappuccino and a doughnut and hurried to the principal's office a few rooms down.

'I really he hope he's not a big jerk. Mr. Makaiju was a really great principal and it was really sad to see him retire.' Makoto thought. Before she knew it she was standing in front of the new principal's office. 'Here goes nothing.'

Mamoru Chiba walked around the office nervously. He was not a shy guy, but he was about to meet the school's teachers. He needed to make a good first impression and he wasn't always very good at those. 'Why did I become a principal? It's so stressful.' He thought to himself.

The door opening interrupted his thoughts. He looked towards the voice and saw a petite beautiful blonde with short curly hair and beautiful blue eyes was staring at him, extending her hand.

"Hello! My name is Usagi! I'm the first grade teacher here! You must be the new principal here, what's you name again?"

He grinned at her taking her hand and shaking it firmly. "Hello Ms. Usagi, my name is Chiba Mamoru."

Usagi smiled and laughed. "Mrs. Kou actually, my husband Seiya is the gym teacher here. We've been married for over five years! We met here to be exact. Oh look at me going on and on about me!"

Mamoru gave a wide smile to the woman in front of him. "It's alright Mrs. Kou I don't mind listening to other people talk. Congratulations to you and Seiya though."

"Thank you very much. Are you married Mr. Chiba?"

"Your welcome, and no I am not married. I was once before but we divorced"

Usagi gave an understanding look and stated, "I'm sorry that must have been hard. The third grade teacher here, Hino Rei, just got divorced also. Her husband cheated on her." Usagi frowned, upset about her friend's new divorce.

"Well when I meet here I will give her my sympathy. I am not sorry about my divorce though. Aiko was a very vain and, well quite frankly, dumb person! I can't remember what I saw in here." Mamoru laughed. Usagi joined him and they continued with their small talk.

They talked for another ten minutes before the door swung open and a tall raven haired women with deep purple eyes walk through like she owned the place.

"Well there you are Usagi! I've been looking for you forever! We were supposed to meet in my room, remember?" Rei shouted as she straightened her shirt.

"Oh! He-he silly me, guess I forgot! Sorry 'bout that Rei!" Usagi laughed.

"Big shocker, hey who's that" Rei said as she pointed to Mamoru.

"Oh! That's the new principal Chiba Mamoru. You didn't remember, did you?"

"Well I've got more on my mind then a new staff member thank you very much!" Rei stated as she stomped out of the room snatched a cookie off the platter near the door.

"That was Rei; she's the teacher who I was just telling you about." Usagi said, turning her attention back to Mamoru.

"I see she really is upset about the whole thing." He replied.

The door was opened once again, introducing a very sexy blonde woman in high stilettos.

Mamoru instantly took attention with his mouth somewhat wide open. She walked over to the side table with the cookie platter and grabbed a couple and flashed a smile toward Usagi and Mamoru.

"Hey there, you must be the new guy here! I'm the one and only music teacher here and you can call me Mrs. Furuhata. My first name is Minako. I teach… Oh Usagi did I tell you! It's Motoki and my first wedding anniversary!" Minako squealed.

Usagi smiled and she and Mina talked for a little bit before Minako left with a beaming smile, off to meet her husband.

"She's, interesting." Mamoru finally said after Mina left.

"Yeah she is, but she's the funniest person ever once you get to know her."

They continued small talk until several more teachers came and went, totally ignoring the staff meeting Mamoru was hoping to have. He met the sixth grade teacher Mrs. Ami Urawa. She was kind and extremely smart. She was also petite with a black almost blue colored hair with very pretty blue eyes. She asked Mamoru about his schooling, and they talked about politics and science and other very intelligent topics. Mamo enjoyed talking to her, because it had been a long time since he had a real adult conversation with a person before.

Then soon after Ami left the janitor Kumada Yuuichirou stopped by. He was a nice man and talked a little too much about Rei. Actually Mamoru didn't get to talk too much in the conversation because it was overly dominated by the topic of a certain raven haired woman.

He also met the fourth grade teacher Ms. Haruna Sakurada. Haruna walked in with the kindergarten teacher who he met as Mrs. Kumiko Kamidake. Both women were average sized redheads with warm honey eyes. Even though they had the same hair and eye color they look extremely different. Haruna was fair skinned and long wavy hair. She had a small round face with soft features while Kumiko on the other hand was tan with shoulder length straight hair with a long face with high cheekbones and sharp features. Miko had the face of a super model.

Mamoru talked only briefly with the two apparent best friends before they snatched some cookies and walked off to the gym together. Mamo sighed and sat as his desk waiting for the next couple of teachers.

Usagi's husband Seiya was the next to come in. He was tall, with dark hair and blue eyes, and looked somewhat similar to Mamoru. They shook hands and chatted for only a moment before the art teacher walked in. She was elegant and beautiful with long wavy teal hair with matching eyes. She introduced her self as Kaiou Michiru, and soon after she introduced herself a tall 'man' with sandy blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes entered the room. The 'man' stood behind Michiru and Michi introduced the figure as her lover Tenou Haruka.

'So he is a she. Interesting, very interesting.' Mamoru thought as he smiled and shook hands with Haruka also. They all talked for another couple of minutes before they left. Another teacher walked in, introducing himself as Mr. Shin, the third grade teacher. The man was average with thinning brown hair and brown eyes. He simply shook Mamo's hand and left not even mentioning his first name.

Mamoru glanced at the clock waiting for the final teacher to enter. After another twenty minutes before giving up. He picked his things up, grabbed the last cookie, and walked out the door shutting it behind him.

Mamoru walked right into Makoto. They collided had forcing each other to fall back. Makoto fell back towards the fall, her cappuccino flying everywhere. Mako hit her head hard against the ground, but before she drifted off she murmured, "Sorry 'bout that."

Makoto slowly opened her eyes to a bright room. She looked around, only to discover a handsome man sleeping on a chair beside her, and her son sleeping, equally peaceful, on the floor.

She gave out a groan and slowly walked over to the coffee machine, and helped her self. After that she walked over to her son and shook him gently. He woke up and rubbed his eyes and said, "Mommy, I'm hungry."

"Alright, let's go out for breakfast. Run up to my room. Grab my purse and our coats, alright?" Makoto asked him. Takeo nodded and ran off rather quickly.

Makoto poured another cup off coffee and gently woke up Mamoru. He woke up and looked into stunning green eyes. His vision adjusted and he got a better look the woman crouched in front of him.

"Hello?" Mamoru croaked. Makoto smiled warmly and handed him the cup of coffee. He sat up, and began to sip on the hot drink.

"My name is Kino Makoto; I'm the second grade teacher." She paused as Takeo entered the room holding a bundle of coats and scarves. "And this is my son Takeo."

"Pleased to meet you, I'm Mamoru. Chiba Mamoru." He replied, still drinking the coffee. "I'm the new principal."

Makoto took her coat and scarf from Tay and began to dress. Takeo followed the lead of his mother and did the same.

"Well it was a pleasure to meet you, but now that we're all awake I think we better get going home. Have a good day Mr. Chiba." Makoto said smoothly, and then started to walk towards the door, her son following. Takeo gave a faint smile to Mamo then shut the door behind him on the way out.

Mamoru sighed as he leaned back in his chair. He placed the empty cup on the table and closed his eyes. It was going to be a long year.


	2. Chapter Two

On opposite sides of the city, two people were thinking the exact thing. Makoto Kino and Mamoru Chiba were both thinking of their previous encounter, and the awkward tension between them.

Makoto was staring out the window of a small café near a small park. She watched children play on the swings, she watched teenagers sitting on benches chatting away, but most of all, she saw couples walking together holding hands.

Her thoughts drifted to her mysterious new boss. His perfect body, glowing skin, shiny ebony hair, and his piercing blue eyes overcome her mind. His image was embedded in her head and his smooth voice replayed over and over. Makoto was falling for a man she barely knew.

She let out a deep sigh as she swirled her coffee around in its cup. Her eyes wandered up to her son who was playing with the coffee creamers, making a small pyramid.

She let out a soft giggle as her son narrowed his eyes, stuck his tongue out slightly, and concentrated very hard on building up without making the whole structure falling down.

Before Takeo could complete his masterpiece, their food arrived clearing Makoto's thoughts and concentrating her attention on her meal and her son.

-

On the other side of town, in Sakura Elementary, Mamoru still sat in his same location he had several hours ago. He hadn't bothered to move because he knew no matter where he went his thoughts would still remain the same.

'_Those eyes.' _He thought. _'I've never seen anything so green before. She's breathtaking.'_

Mamoru let out a deep sigh, and as he exhaled it seemed all his troubles left along with the used air. He had made up his mind. Makoto Kino was going to be his, and he did not care what he had to do.

He stood up and marched to the door. He needed a dozen roses, and he needed them fast.

-

Makoto and Takeo had finished their breakfast in silence. Makoto glanced at her watch; realizing school would be starting in about an hour.

"Takeo are you ready to go?" Makoto asked sweetly.

"Yeah Mom, let's go." He answered back, he slipped out of their booth by the large window Makoto had previously been staring out of, and put his coat on quickly.

Makoto paid the waitress, leaving a small tip on the table. They left the quaint restaurant and as she left through the door Makoto decided she would leave her feelings there. She was not going to let some handsome man make her fall in love. She was going to ignore her feelings and she did not care what she had to do to make them stay buried inside her heart.

-

Mamoru entered a tiny little flower shop several blocks from the school. As he entered the small shop, a bell chimed throughout the room. A sweet looking lady with light gray hair and many lines on her face indicating the trials life has thrown at her.

Her small brown eyes sparkled with kindness and she smiled brightly and asked Mamoru how his morning was.

"It's pretty good. How is yours ma'am?" Mamoru asked back returning her smile.

They continued with polite conversation for another few minutes while the woman helped him select a beautiful bouquet. It consisted of red roses, while lilies, and small yellow rosebuds. The owner of the shop rapped the flowers up for Mamoru and handed him the bundle of flowers.

"She'll love them." The sweet woman said to Mamoru after she handed over the bundle of buds.

Mamoru raised his eyebrow slightly, but soon smiled. "I hope so." Came his reply. He thanked her and paid, and made his way to the location of the graceful woman who the flowers were intended for.

-

School started for Makoto as it did everyday. She took attendance then gave her students their daily spelling words and she took a seat at her desk as they practiced away.

Soon she signed into her Yahoo account; to see which of her collogues were online. Every day her and her fellow teachers would chat away, getting away from the hustle and bustle of their classrooms.

**Ms.Kino04 has just logged in.**

As soon as Mako signed in several windows opened up upon her screen.

**UsakoKou says:**

_Mako! I think Mr. Chiba likes you!_

**Ms.Kino04 says:**

_Oh shush Usa! He does not. We have barely even spoken to one another!_

**UsakoKou says:**

_Oh he does too, so you know what, I think you need to give it a chance!_

**Ms.Kino04 says:**

_Usa, I'm, I'm not ready to start dating. So please give it a rest. _

**UsakoKou says:**

_Sorry, but I have to go. Its math time, we're trying to add double digits! Oh dear!_

**Ms.Kino04 says:**

_Good luck!_

**UsakoKou has logged off.**

Makoto closed Usagi's window and checked the other two people who began to talk to her.

**HinoRei7 says:**

_Hi_

**Ms.Kino04 says: **

_Hey Rei, how have you been?_

**HinoRei7 says:**

_Just fine thank you very much…_

**Ms.Kino04 says:**

_Relax Rei I was just trying to be a good friend!_

Makoto growled under her breath in anger at her friend's bitterness. Trying to get Rei out of her mind she opened the last conversation window that had appeared.

**LadyMinako69 says:**

_Hola cutie!_

**Ms.Kino04 says:**

_Hey Mina-Chan! How were you and your hunky husband's romantic weekend!_

**LadyMinako69 says:**

_Fabulous! He took me to the most beautiful French restaurant ever! _

**LadyMinako69 says:**

_Hey! He's taken missy! LOL._

**Ms.Kino04 says:**

_I know, just kidding. Sort of. LOL._

**LadyMinako69 says:**

_I'm watching you! Haha, but I need to go tune the piano. The fifth graders are coming in about 15 minutes. _

**Ms.Kino04 says:**

_Lucky you, I hear they're a bunch of brats._

**LadyMinako69 says:**

_You have no idea. Bye! XOXO_

**LadyMinako69 has logged off.**

Makoto soon opened Rei's conversation window despite her lack of wanting to talk to her.

**Ms.Kino04 says:**

_So, what are your plans for the weekend?_

**HinoRei7 has logged off.**

Makoto was extremely angry at this point. Her also logged off and stared at the blank screen for several minutes. She pushed back on her desk and hopped out of her rolling chair and began to correct her students' spelling homework.

-

Mamoru sat at his desk eyeing the lovely flowers sitting on his silver filing cabinet. He hadn't moved much all day, just sat around and answered a few phone calls and did a bit of paper work.

His day was mostly consumed of Makoto. He was borderline obsession at this point. He had finally rationalized with himself and decided he needed to ease off. Therefore he decided to put off delivering the flowers.

Mamoru heard the bell signal recess time and he couldn't help but hop out from his spot and dash to his filing cabinet. He grabbed the bundle and rushed up a couple floors to deliver the gift.

-

Her day soon went on smoothly enough, and soon recess came before she knew it. She sat at her computer and opened a Solitaire game. She sat and played for about 5 minutes before she heard a gentle knock at her door and she rushed to answer it. Their stood the last person she wanted to see, hold a stunning bouquet of flowers with a large grin on his face.

-

**Finally!**

I updated! Sorry for the rushed chapter, I have a major case of Writer's Block and this was all I could think of. I'm written the beginning of the next chapter already so I'm pretty sure it will be out by early August.

_Thanks for reading._


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